Shopping cart bumper

ABSTRACT

A shopping cart bumper in one embodiment comprises a U-shaped bumper having a plurality of slots on an inner leg of the bumper for engaging wires of a shopping cart.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the benefit U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/263,366, filed Dec. 4, 2015, entitled Shopping CartBumper. This application is also a continuation-in-part-application ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/255,360 filed Sep. 2, 2016 entitledShopping Cart Basket and Method of Manufacture, which is a divisionalapplication of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/478478 filed Sep. 5,2014 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,457,827), which is a non-provisionalapplication of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/037690 filed Aug. 15,2014. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/255,360 is also acontinuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/098,744 filed Dec. 6, 2014, which is a non-provisional application ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 61/734,275. The disclosures of each ofthe above noted applications are hereby incorporated by reference intheir entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates to bumpers for wire-made shopping carts forgrocery stores and the like and shopping carts including bumpers.

BACKGROUND

History and lore teach that the shopping cart was invented by OklahomanSylvan Goldman, for his grocery store business, the one that became overtime Unarco Industries, LLC, the assignee of this disclosure.

At present, the American-market, adult, full-size, wire-made shoppingcart has a distinctive construction of a frame, casters, basket, hingedback gate and child seat.

The frame is composed of a chassis and a handle, made up of multiple,bent steel tubes, and sits atop four casters, the rear two of whichtrack forward and back, and the front two of which swivel. A lower shelfof wire lies between the lower side rails of the chassis. The framehandle rises in the back from the chassis to form the “driver's”“steering mechanism.” The basket is see-through, made of wires, andmounts atop the frame, forward of the handle. A hinged back gate with afolding child seat completes the basket and allows the carts to nestwith each other in the manner familiar to all shoppers in stores withcarts.

In more detail as to the basket, horizontal wires of the basket extendfully from one upper side rail, alongside the handle, around the side ofthe cart, across its front, back around its other side, and to theopposite upper side rail, on the other side of the handle. A second setof wires extend from a top wire of the first set, down a side of thebasket, across the basket floor, and up the other side. A third set ofwires also extend from a top wire of the first set, down the front ofthe basket, and across the floor to the last wire of the second set. Asa result, the sides, front and bottom of the cart all have the structureof two groups of wires from among the three sets, crossing at rightangles and forming a mesh.

While ubiquitous and iconic, these carts are not without their issues.Some lesser brands wear poorly, show rust, dent and break readily, areexpensive to ship, are difficult to separate when nested, and representassembly processes that have existed for ages with little change.

For more historical information, see the following: Unarco CompanyHistory, Unarco

Industries LLC, currently found at http://www.unarco.com/history.html;and for more allegedly historically accurate information, Shopping Cart,currently found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopping^(—)cart;Smithsonian's History Explorer, History of the Shopping Cart, currentlyfound at http://amhistory.si.edu/thinkfinity/podcast/shoppingcart.m4a.See as well the following patents and patent publications: U.S. Pat. No.2,155,896, inventor Sylvan Goldman (original shopping cart); U.S. Pat.No. 2,662,775, inventor same; and U.S. Pat. 2,769,645, inventor same(folding child seat with hinged back gate). For more currentinformation, see U.S. Pat. No. 7,090,230 issued Aug. 15, 2006, inventorO'Quin, assignee Unarco; U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2014/0159327published Jun. 12, 2014, on a Shopping Cart, inventors Smith andMcMurtrey, assignee Unarco, especially at FIGS. 2-3; U.S. PatentPublication No. US 2013/0307239 published Nov. 21, 2013, on a ShoppingCart and Method of Assembling Same, inventors Smith and McMurtrey,assignee Unarco, especially at its background; and “ManufacturingShopping Trolleys,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5hwY1s0O0M ,uploaded according to YouTube Apr. 12, 2008.

The following pending patent applications are incorporated by referencein full as if fully set forth in this disclosure: U.S. application Ser.No. 14/098,744, filed Dec. 6, 2013, inventors Smith and McMurtrey,assignee Unarco, also known as U.S. Patent Publication No. US2014/0159327 published Jun. 12, 2014.

SUMMARY

A shopping cart bumper in one embodiment comprises a U-shaped bumperhaving a plurality of slots on an inner leg of the bumper for engagingwires of a shopping cart.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shopping cart featuring an embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wire mat formed during manufacture ofan embodiment of a shopping cart basket of the present invention inaccordance with an embodiment of the manufacturing method of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the wire mat of FIG. 2 with side wallstructural wires added;

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the completed wire mat;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the wire mat of FIG. 3b with the basketside walls formed by folding side wall portions of the wire mat upward;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a nose panel formed during manufactureof an embodiment of the shopping cart basket of the present invention inaccordance with an embodiment of the manufacturing method of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a shopping cart basket formed by joiningthe nose panel of FIG. 5 to the formed wire mat of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the nose portion of the shopping cartbasket of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, partial perspective view of a corner of the noseportion of the basket of FIGS. 6 and 7 with guards attached;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 of the embodiment ofFIGS. 2-8.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of completed wire mats and nose panels usedto construct an embodiment of the shopping cart basket of the presentinvention loaded into and stacked within a 40 foot shipping container.

FIG. 11 is a reproduction of FIG. 5 of U.S. Patent Publication No.2014/0159327.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a second wire mat or blank formedduring manufacture of a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view similar to FIGS. 4 and 6, of a secondembodiment.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a preferred frame of the embodiments.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an embodiment of invention nesting withan earlier form of cart as in FIG. 11.

FIG. 16 is another perspective of an embodiment of invention nestingwith an earlier form of cart, in addition to FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a shopping cart including bumpersaccording to aspects of this disclosure.

FIG. 18 is a side view of a shopping cart including bumpers according toaspects of this disclosure.

FIG. 19 includes detailed perspective views of a shopping cart includingbumpers according to aspects of this disclosure.

FIGS. 20A-20D are views of a shopping cart bumper according to aspectsof this disclosure.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a shopping cart bumper according toaspects of this disclosure.

FIG. 22 includes views of a shopping cart bumper according to aspects ofthis disclosure.

FIG. 23 includes views of a shopping cart bumper according to aspects ofthis disclosure.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a shopping cart including bumpersaccording to aspects of this disclosure.

FIG. 25 is a side view of a shopping cart including bumpers according toaspects of this disclosure.

FIG. 26 is a back view of a shopping cart including bumpers according toaspects of this disclosure.

FIG. 27 is a detailed perspective view of a shopping cart includingbumpers according to aspects of this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 11, two existing embodiments of American-market,full-size, adult, wire-made shopping carts include a first cart 10 and asecond cart 70. Cart 10 has a frame 16 with a first tier portion 42, acover 52 on an inclined portion, casters, e.g., 20 a, and a variety ofother structures including a basket as described in the Background. Cart70 includes frame members, e.g., 72 a, 72 b, 74 a, 74 b, caster liftwires 76 a, 76 b, and other structures, including the same basket. Framemember 72 a is representative of two upright forward side frame members,the second one of which is not numbered. Frame member 72 a is alsorepresentative of two additional upright side frame members, the uprightrearward side frame members, above the rear casters and below thebasket. Note also that the frames of both carts 10, 70 are formed ofmultiple bent tubes.

As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,090,230, issued Aug. 15, 2006, inventorO'Quin, assignee Unarco, carts such as cart 70 have been known in thepast to include horizontal side rail frame sections that includecross-sections as in the patent's FIGS. 2 and 3 that increase strength.

As shown in “Manufacturing Shopping Trolleys,” referenced above, atleast one existing embodiment of carts called trolleys in Europeancountries appear to have been made by processes that form rudimentarymats of floor portions of carts with outwardly dangling and outwardlydisconnected fringe wires.

In accordance with embodiments of the shopping carts, shopping cartbaskets, and manufacturing methods of the present invention, see FIGS. 1and 9, and unlike other baskets, see again FIG. 11, it is possible tohave at least a majority of the basket wire welding procedures performedwhile the basket is still in a generally flat, mat or blank state. Mostpreferably, the basket is created, exists and remains in the mat orblank state until arrival at a modern assembly plant where it is quicklyand easily formed and finish welded to create a basket. Again mostpreferably, as in the embodiment primarily of FIG. 12, the basket isformed as a unimat, such that the forming is by bending along very fewlines, such as three lines, and three lines only, and the finish weldingis along very few lines, such as few as two. This method allows for avariety of benefits including shipment of a great number of units ofbaskets, in the mat form or state, in shipping containers, as in FIG.10, and a significantly greater number than the designs of, for example,FIG. 11. Still most preferably, the basket in the mat or blank statehaving been substantially completely finished, to the state in whichonly as few bend lines as three and as few weld lines as two arerequired, the benefits include minimal post-mat creation manufacturingsteps, and a significantly fewer number than the design of, for example,“Manufacturing Shopping Trolleys.”

More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 2, in one embodiment (note,the embodiment of FIGS. 2-10, not the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 12-16),from a beginning of manufacture to an intermediate stage of manufacture,a number of transverse wires 20 are joined to a number of longitudinalwires 22 to form a one-piece mat or blank where the intersections of thetransverse and longitudinal wires form the basket floor portion 24. Theterms “mat” and “blank” are used for structures the major components ofwhich lie in a common, single, plane, typically a flat plane. (Minordeviations from a flat plane are included in the concept of a flatplane.) The term “longitudinal wires” is used for wires that areperfectly longitudinal as well as those wires that deviate fromperfectly longitudinal, to provide a shopping cart basket floor with itsisosceles trapezoidal (trapeziform) shape, as shown in FIG. 2. Thetransverse and longitudinal wires are preferably formed from steel oranother metal and are joined by resistance welding. Other wire materialsand joining methods known in the art may alternatively be used. Inaddition, the number of longitudinal wires and the number of transversewires may deviate from the number shown.

With reference to FIG. 3a , in an intermediate stage, a number of sidewall structural wires 26 a and 26 b are resistance welded to transversewires 20. The side wall structural wires preferably are also formed fromsteel or another metal and feature diameters larger than the diametersof transverse and longitudinal wires 22 and 20. The leading ends of thestructural wires 26 a and 26 b are attached to side wall leading endsupport wires 28 a and 28 b, such as by resistance welding. Of courseother materials and joining methods known in the art may be used. As aresult, basket side wall portions 30 a and 30 b are formed.

The end portions 32 a and 32 b of the transverse wires that extendbeyond the outer or top side wall structural wires 26 c and 26 d arenext cut away and discarded, as illustrated in FIG. 3 b.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3b and 4, leading and trailing end floor wires34 and 36, respectively, are attached to the leading and trailing endsof the longitudinal wires making up the basket floor 24, such as byresistance welding or other attachment method. In addition, side walltrailing end support wires 38 a and 38 b are attached to the trailingends of the side wall structural wires 26 a and 26 b by resistancewelding or other attachment method. As a result, the completed, singleflat plane wire mat or blank 39 of FIG. 3b is formed. The leading andtrailing end floor wires 34 and 36 and the side wall trailing endsupport wires 38 a and 38 b are also preferably constructed from steelor another metal or material known in the art.

Moving from the intermediate stage of cart basket manufacture into whatwill be called a second intermediate stage of cart basket manufacture,the basket side walls 30 a and 30 b are then folded upwards into thepositions shown in FIG. 4 so that the transverse wires 20 form generallyninety degree angles between the basket floor 24 and the basket sidewalls 30 a and 30 b.

Returning to an earlier stage, or perhaps a next stage, a nose panel,indicated in general at 40 in FIG. 5, is formed by resistance weldingsteel vertical and horizontal wires 42 and 44, respectively, together.The horizontal wires 44 provide structural support and thereforepreferably have larger diameters than the vertical wires 42. Inaddition, the panel is surrounded on all four sides by a frame 46 whichmay be formed from one or more steel wires having a diameter (ordiameters) the same as or equal to the diameters of the horizontal wires44. The frame 46 may also be attached by resistance welding. Alternativematerials and joining methods known in the art may be used inconstructing the nose panel 40.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the so-called second intermediatestage of manufacture, the nose panel 40 is attached to the leading edgesof the floor 24 and side walls 30 a and 30 b, preferably by mig welding,to form the cart basket, indicated in general at 50. More specifically,the vertical and bottom portions of the frame 46 (FIG. 5) of the nosepanel are mig welded to the side wall leading end support wires 28 a and28 b (FIGS. 3a, 3b and 4) and the leading end floor wire 34 (FIG. 4).Alternative attachment arrangements known in the art may be used.

Additional steps of manufacture occur. The basket 50 of FIGS. 6-8 ismounted onto the frame of a cart, as illustrated in FIG. 9. The basketand frame may be powder coated. With reference to FIG. 8, rubber orplastic guards 52 a and 52 b, which are generally L-shaped, may beplaced over the top ends of the corners formed by the side edges of thenose panel 40 and the leading ends of the side walls 30 a and 30 b toserve as bumpers for the basket.

Again returning to an earlier stage, the cart, indicated in general at56, features a frame formed from steel tubing that includes a chassisportion 58, to which casters 62 are mounted, and a handle portion 64. Inthe final stages of manufacture, the trailing edges of the basket sidewalls 30 a and 30 b may be welded or otherwise secured to the handleportion 64 of the cart frame. In addition, a basket support 66 issecured between the frame chassis portion 58 and the basket floor 24. Aswinging real wall or gate 68 is provided with a collapsible child seat72, and is also attached to the handle portion 64 of the cart frame. Thebasket may be mounted to alternative carts and cart frame designs.

A reduction in labor and tooling can be realized with the cart basket 50of the first embodiment with a variety of choices for the location ofcart basket 50 manufacture. Individual wires are generally notindividually formed into the final shapes they take in the basket 50.Instead, they are group-formed into their final shapes. Moreover, thewires are not group-formed in dangling conditions. For example,transverse wires 20 are group-formed to have the angles between thebasket floor 24 and the basket side walls 30 a, 30 b. The transversewires 20 are group-formed while they are already joined by theircriss-crossing wires such as the wires 26 a, b, c, d.

Furthermore, outsourcing the basket described above is attractive in anew way unlike the past as a matter of kind, not degree, due to thenumber of units that may be shipped per container. For example, withreference to FIG. 10, the mat 39 of FIG. 3b and the nose panel 40 ofFIG. 5, may be loaded into a cargo container or trailer 74 andefficiently stacked since they are generally flat. As a result, and forexample, a 40 ft. container or trailer can fit 2300 baskets (viadisassembled flat mats 39 and nose panels 40) where the same containeror trailer could only carry approximately 900 prior art baskets. Thenumber of 2300 versus 900 is such as change as to be a matter of kindnot degree.

In addition, the cart basket design described above lends itself well toautomated welding, bending and other manufacturing processes. Forexample, if manufacture of the above basket design is automated in houseor outsourced, it potentially eliminates great numbers of machines, suchas potentially more than fifty pieces of equipment such as presses,resistance welders, pneumatic benders, and forming dies.

Still, another preferred embodiment of the subject disclosure in FIG. 1is a unit 100, also one of many features and advantages. As in FIGS. 1and 12-16, for example, a cart frame 120 has an essentially one tube oruniframe construction. A basket 140 also has an essentially one unit orunimat construction, from a full, flat blank 142, as in FIG. 12. Theunit 100 has fewer wear areas, for longer, better life of all surfaces.The nesting length (arrow 141) between multiple units 100—and units 100with pre-existing units such as 70—is minimal. Space occupation bymultiple units is also thereby minimal. Packing is maximized.Transportation expense is also minimized. The same is true for on-sitestorage conditions. Many more units fit less space. New positions ofnest bars, frame-to-basket contact, and new slim-line upright frame barsprovide the benefits, in major parts. The units maintain nestabilitywith past constructions of carts, such as those in FIG. 11. Upright,reinforced protection corners 134 at the front corners of the basket,after assembly, protect against front corner damage with uniquecapabilities.

Referring first to frame 120, since the frame of the first embodimentwas not emphasized, the frame 120 of the second embodiment of inventionbegins manufacture as a single, straight frame tube (straight tube notshown). As in FIG. 14, pairs of mirroring bends 121 a, 121 b, 122 a, 122b, 123 a, 123 b and 124 a, 124 b bend the otherwise straight tube into ahandle support 125, mirroring, upright, basket connectors 126 a, 126 b,mirroring arching doglegs 127 a, 127 b, mirroring horizontal upward anddownward base rails 128 a, 128 b, and mirroring, horizontal, frontbumper sections 129 a, 129 b. The bends 121 a-124 b, have radii as shownand consistent with varying between the horizontal, the vertical, thelateral and the longitudinal.

A flash weld at the tube ends 130 a, 130 b forms on a front bumper 129of the two bumper sections 129 a, 129 b, closes the tube ends upon eachother, and seals and gives final shape to the frame tube. Thus, theframe 120 occupies generally two flat planes, a first, vertical plane inthe area of the handle support 125 and basket connectors 126 a, 126 b,and a second, horizontal plane in the area of the base rails 128 a, 128b and the front bumper 129. The frame 120 further occupies a third,non-flat plane in the area of the doglegs 127 a, 127 b. The third planeextends flatly laterally, and yet arches longitudinally to the sameextent as the arch of the doglegs. The doglegs arch longitudinallyforward from rearward outer extremities through a forward central archor curve. The arches or curves of the doglegs form stiffness and springsin the frame as against forces that would otherwise bend the frames'flat planes toward each other around bends 123 a, 123 b. The arches alsolower, open, rearward facing dogleg gaps immediately adjacent thedoglegs 127 a, 127 b, below the basket connectors 126 a, 126 b, andabove the lower, extreme rearward extremities of the doglegs 127 a, 127b, and the bends 123 a, 123 b. Horns 130 a, 130 b, as in FIG. 15, extenddownward and rearward from the bends 123 a, 123 b to supportlongitudinal aligned wheels 82 a, 82 b. Other wheels 83 a, 83 b onswivels are at the front of the frame.

The basket 140 begins manufacture as a group of wires, as in FIG. 12,and as with the first embodiment. In an early stage of the assemblyprocess, the group is formed into the full blank 142. Thus, at anintermediate stage of construction, the basket 140 occupies the more orless flat plane of the blank 142. The blank 142 has a central base orbody 144 of two base sections 144 a, 144 b that mirror each other on thetwo sides of the longitudinal centerline 143 of the blank 142. Multiplelaterally extending wires, e.g., 145 a, 145 b, of the central base orbody 144 extend laterally outward past the outer extremities of thecentral base or body 144. These unifying wires extend on each side intomirroring wings 146 a, 146 b of the blank 142 laterally opposite eachother across the central base or body 144. Multiple longitudinallyextending wires, e.g., 147 a, 147 b, of the central base or body 144extend longitudinally outward past the outer extremities of the centralbase or body 144 on a forward end of the central base or body 144. Thesewires extend into a face or head 149 of the blank 142. Mirroringlongitudinally extending wing edge wires 148 a, 148 b extend through thewings 146 a, 146 b. Mirroring and U-shaped wing perimeter wires 151 a,151 b extend along the laterally outermost extent of the wings, bend atan approximately right angle, extend along the front outermost extent ofthe wings, bend again at about a right angle, and extend along thelaterally innermost extent of the wings. A rounded rectangular headperimeter wire 152 extends longitudinally along a laterally outermostextent of the head 149, bends at about a right angle, extends laterallyalong a longitudinally innermost extent of the head, bends, extendslongitudinally along the opposite laterally outermost extent of thehead, bends, extends laterally along the longitudinally outermost extentof the head, and bends to return, to complete a rounded rectangle. Thenumber of wires may be adjusted based on such factors as the diameterand materials chosen for the wires. As most preferred and shown, thecentral base or body has about fourteen longitudinal wires and thirtyfour transverse wires. The wings have the same thirty-four transversewires as the central base, their perimeter wires, and three longitudinalwires. One longitudinal wire is closely adjacent the outermostlongitudinal extent of the perimeter wire. Two are spaced in the bodiesof the wings. The head has its perimeter wire, the same fourteenlongitudinal wires as the central base, and three transverse wires. Thethree transverse wires are spaced to match the three longitudinal wiresof the wings. Certain of the wires such as those at the limit of therear longitudinal extent of the blank may also be of larger diameter, asshown, in all of the central base and two wings.

Referring to FIG. 13, the basket 140 in the frame-mounted form exists asa load-supporting bottom 153, two mirroring, upright, longitudinallyextending, lateral sides 154 a, 154 b, and an upright, lateral extendingfront 155. It also exists as the reconfiguration of the blank 142, withbends 156 a, 156 b, 157 and multiple fastenings, e.g. 158 a, 158 b,added. Bends 156 a, 156 b are mirroring longitudinal bends which eachinterpose the basket bottom 153, and one of the two basket sides 154 a,154 b. Bend 157 is a lateral bend which interposes the basket bottom 153and the basket front 155. All bends 156 a, 156 b and 157 areapproximately right angle bends, which bring the outer extremities ofthe basket sides 154 a, 154 b and the basket front 154 into theformation of a plane of an upward facing opening 159 of the basket 140that more or less parallels the flat plane of the basket bottom 153. Theopening also has the same trapezoidal shape as the basket bottom 153.

As seen by referring to both FIG. 13 and FIG. 12, the frame-mounted formof the basket 140 brings into close and generally parallel relationship,from the mat form of the basket, the longitudinally forward-most extents159 a, 159 b of the wing perimeter wires 151 a, 151 b and the laterallyoutermost extents 160 a, 160 b of the head perimeter wire 152. Theadjacent, upright pairs of wires 159 a, 160 a, and 159 b, 160 b, locatedat the front corners 161 of the frame-mounted form of the basket 140 arefastened as by welding to each other. The corners 161 thus enjoy thereinforcement of the pairs of adjacent wires and their fastenings suchas welds.

Referring to FIG. 15, a shopping cart 100 comprises a basket 140 and aframe 120. The frame supports the basket, and comprises a chassis andhandle. The frame chassis comprises base rails and a front bumper. Thehandle comprises a handle support, upright basket connectors, anddoglegs. The doglegs include a wall section 80. This section 80 has ahollow configuration, defining an elongate transverse cross-section,which has a longer dimension and a shorter dimension. The doglegs, hereas elsewhere, extend upright from the base rails and below the basketconnectors. As shown, the shopping cart 100 nests with a pre-existingalternate shopping cart 70. It nests more closely with cart 70 thanmultiple carts 70 nest with themselves. As in FIG. 11, the pre-existingalternate shopping cart 70 includes an alternate frame with uprightforward and rearward side rails. The identified wall sections 80 of thedoglegs of the shopping cart 100 nest outside and adjacent the uprightforward side rails such as side rail 72 a of the alternate frame of thepre-existing alternate shopping cart 70. The wall sections 80, as seenin FIG. 15, extend both forward and rearward of the upright forward siderails 72 a of the alternate frame of the pre-existing alternate shoppingcart 70, when the wall sections 80 nest outside and adjacent the uprightforward side rails 72 a.

Referring to FIG. 16, the cart 100 further includes a nest stop wire 85.As most preferred, the forward-to-rearward nesting position of the cart100 is determined by contact of the next stop wire 85 with another cart,either another cart 100 or another pre-existing cart 70. In the case ofthe cart 70, as shown, the nest stop wire establishes theforward-to-rearward nesting position by contact against the forward siderails such as side rail 72 a of the cart 70. The nest stop wire 85,unlike the stop wire on the rear side rails of the alternate form of thecart 70, is along the frame base rails 128 a, 128 b of the cart 100 wellforward of the doglegs 127 a, 127 b. For nesting of cart 100 withanother cart 100, the nest stop wire 85 contacts a basket support wire87.

All other surfaces of the frame 120 and remainder of the cart 100 canand as intended, do, remain without front-to-rear contact duringnesting. Vertical, sliding contact between carts 100, and carts 100, 70,is desired, as the cart 100 includes a cart lift such as the liftdisclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/098,744 (see above). Bysliding contact of frames, the lift raises the rear wheels of a cart 100or 70 nested on a cart 100. As an aspect of tight nesting, not only thewall section 80 have longer and shorter transverse cross-sections. As inFIG. 16, at least sections if not all of the frame basket connectors 126a, 126 b (b not seen in FIG. 16) have longer and shorter cross-sections.The horizontal longitudinal wires of the basket 140 are also alignedwithin the limits of the outer-side-to-inner-side extent of thetransverse widths of the connectors 126 a, 126 b. The “slim-profiling”of the basket 140 and connectors 126 a, 126 b, contributes to the lackof front-to-rear contact of the cart 100 with another cart 100 or 70during nesting, apart from the contact of nest stop wire 85.

The preferred embodiments of invention provide distinct structuring ofcarts. The frame 120 of the one embodiment constitutes a uniframe, inhaving multiple segments including its handle support 125, basketconnectors 126, and base rails 128 formed of a single tubular member, orits basket connectors 126 and doglegs 127 the same. The baskets of theembodiments constitute mat baskets, in existing in the mat-form of asubstantially flat mat of multiple portions including a central body andwings that make up the basket floor and sides in the frame-mounted formof the basket. The frame and basket of at least one embodiment togetherconstitute a slim-fit cart frame and basket, in providing fit into othercarts during nesting with only forward-to-back contact between the neststop wire 85 and an associated wire or frame member.

Shopping Cart Bumper

Referring now to FIGS. 17-27, shopping carts 100, including thosedescribed above, may include bumpers 300. Bumpers 300 may be used toprotect the cart and/or items that the cart may contact duringoperation. As shown in FIG. 17, the bumpers 300 may be designed to fitover one or both of the front corners of the shopping cart 100.

Referring now primarily to FIGS. 19-20, the bumper may have a generallyU-shaped cross-sectional shape (as best shown in FIG. 20A). The bumper300 may include an inner leg 302 and an outer leg 304 connected in acenter section 306. The bumper may have an inner surface 301 and anouter surface 303. The bumper 300 may also include a top end 308 and abottom end 310 and an inner edge 305 and an outer edge 306. As shown in,for example in FIGS. 17, 19, and 20, the bumper 300 may include one ormore slots 320, 330, 340 which may be used to engage the shopping cart100. These slots may be primarily located on the inner leg 302 of thebumper 300 which may allow the inner leg of the bumper to engage wiresof the shopping cart 100.

As shown primarily in FIGS. 19 and 20D, the bumper 300 may include afirst slot 320 in the bottom end 310 of the inside leg 302. The firstslot 320 may be oriented substantially vertically. As shown in FIG. 19,the first slot 320 may engage a wire 322 of the shopping cart 100. Asshown in FIG. 20D, the first slot 320 may have a forward edge 326 and aback edge 328. The edges 326, 328 may be angled with respect to thebottom edge of the inside leg 302 or may be vertical. For example, theback edge 338 may be oriented at about 170 degrees or between about 155degrees and 180 degrees from the edge of the bumper (between about 0degrees and 25 degrees from the forward edge 326) and as best shown inFIG. 22.

The bumper 300 may also include a second slot 330 in the inside leg 302of the bumper 300. The second slot 330 may engage a wire 332 of theshopping cart. As shown in FIG. 20D, the second slot 330 may have alower edge 336 and an upper edge 338. Each edge may be angled withrespect to the outer edge of the inside leg 302. In some embodiments,edges 336, 338 may be substantially parallel with each other. The edges336, 338 may be oriented at about 137.14 degrees or between about 125degrees and 150 degrees from the edge of the bumper (also between about125 degrees and 150 degrees from the inner edge 305) and as best shownin FIG. 22.

The bumper 300 may also include a third slot 340 in the inside leg 302of the bumper 300. The third slot 340 may engage a wire 342 of theshopping cart. As shown in FIG. 20D, the third slot 340 may have a loweredge 346 and an upper edge 348. As shown in FIG. 20D, the lower edge 346may be angled with respect to the outer edge of the inside leg 302. Theupper edge 348 may be substantially horizontal or perpendicular to theouter edge of the inside leg 302. The lower edge 346 may be oriented atabout 73.69 degrees or between about 60 degrees and 90 degrees from theedge of the bumper (between about 0 degrees and 30 degrees from theupper edge 348) and as best shown in FIG. 22.

Additionally, the bumper 300 may include one or more fastening systems350. As shown in FIGS. 17-20 the bumper may include a single fasteningsystem 350, and as shown in FIGS. 21-27 the bumper 300 may includemultiple fastening systems 350. The fastening system 350 may include anaperture 352 formed through both the inner and outer leg 302, 304. Amechanical fastener 354 such as a rivet, screw, bolt, or other suitabledevice may then pass through the aperture 352 to engage the bumper 300with the shopping cart 100.

The bumper 300 may be formed using many known methods and materials. Forexample, the bumper may be formed using injection molding or othersuitable methods and may be formed of plastics, HDP, Nylon,polyurethane, rubber or other suitable materials.

To assemble the bumper 300 to a shopping cart 100, a user may firstengage the first slot 320 with the shopping cart wire 322. The user maythen rotate bumper 300 in an upward direction to engage the second slot330 and the third slot 340 with shopping cart wires 332 and 342respectively. Once the bumper 300 has been rotated into place, the usermay then engage the mechanical fastener(s) 354 through the aperture(s)352 to lock the bumper 300 to the shopping cart 100. Advantageously, thedisclosed bumpers 300 may provide increased efficiency of assembly of abumper 300 to a shopping cart 100.

The bumper 300 may include a number of additional features. For example,in some embodiments, and as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the top end 308 ofthe inside leg 302 may not extend as high as the top end 308 of theoutside leg 304. This may advantageously allow the bumper 300 to engagethe wires of the shopping cart 100 while providing maximum bumpercoverage on the outside edge of the cart. Additionally, one or moreportions 360 of the bumper 300 may be thinner than other portions. Thismay advantageously allow for the bumper to fit over portions of theshopping cart which may be larger than other portions. For example,portions of the shopping cart which are welded together, as describedabove, may be enlarged compared to portions which are not weldedtogether.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changesand modifications may be made therein without departing from the spiritof the invention.

1. A bumper for a front corner of a wire-made shopping cart havinghorizontal wires, the bumper comprising: an inner leg, an outer leg, andan elongated center section, wherein the inner leg and outer leg areconnected at the center section such that the bumper has a generallyu-shaped cross-section, and wherein the inner leg comprises a pluralityof slots for engaging horizontal wires of the wire-made shopping cart.2. The bumper of claim 1, further comprising a top end and a bottom end,wherein the plurality of slots includes a first slot located in thebottom end of the bumper, the first slot having a forward edge and aback edge wherein the forward edge is substantially vertical and theback edge is oriented 0 degrees to 25 degrees from the forward edge. 3.The bumper of claim 1, wherein the bumper further comprises a top endand a bottom end and the inner leg defines an inner edge, and whereinthe plurality of slots includes a second slot, the second slot beinglocated nearer to the bottom end than to the top end and having a loweredge and an upper edge, wherein the lower edge and upper edge aresubstantially parallel to each other and are oriented 125 degrees to 150degrees from the inside edge.
 4. The bumper of claim 1, furthercomprising a top end and a bottom end, wherein the plurality of slotsincludes a third slot, the third slot being located nearer to the topend than to the bottom end and having a lower edge and an upper edge,wherein the upper edge is substantially horizontal, and the lower edgeis oriented 0 degrees to 30 degrees from the upper edge.
 5. The bumperof claim 1, further comprising one or more apertures passing through theinner leg and the outer leg such that a mechanical fastener may passthrough the apertures to lock the bumper to the shopping cart.
 6. Thebumper of claim 5, further comprising a top end and a bottom end and afirst aperture located nearer to the top end than to the bottom end. 7.A bumper for a front corner of a wire-made shopping cart, the bumpercomprising: a top end; a bottom end; an inner leg defining an inneredge, the inner leg further comprising: a first slot located in thebottom end of the bumper and having a forward edge and a back edgewherein the forward edge is substantially vertical and the back edge isoriented 0 to 25 degrees from the forward edge; a second slot locatedabove the first slot and nearer to the bottom end than to the top endand having an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower edge and upper edgebeing substantially parallel to each other and being oriented 125 to 150degrees from the inner edge; and a third slot located above the secondslot and nearer to the top end than to the bottom end and having anupper edge and a lower edge, the upper edge being substantiallyhorizontal and the lower edge being oriented 0 to 30 degrees from theupper edge; an outer leg; and an elongated center section connecting theinner leg and the outer leg such that the bumper has a generallyu-shaped cross-section.
 8. The bumper of claim 7, further comprising anaperture that passes through the inner leg and the outer leg nearer tothe top end than to the bottom end.
 9. A method for assembling a bumperto a front corner of a wire-made shopping cart having horizontal wires,the method comprising: engaging the bumper with the horizontal wires ofthe shopping cart, wherein the bumper comprises an inner leg, an outerleg, and an elongated center section, and wherein the inner leg andouter leg are connected at the center section such that the bumper has agenerally u-shaped cross-section, the bumper further comprising a topend and a bottom end and an aperture that passes through the inner legand the outer leg nearer to the top end than to the bottom end, andwherein the inner leg comprises a plurality of slots for engaging thehorizontal wires; and passing a mechanical fastener through the apertureto lock the bumper to the shopping cart.
 10. The method of claim 9,wherein the inner leg defines an inner edge and wherein the plurality ofslots comprises a first slot, a second slot, and a third slot, the firstslot being located in the bottom end of the bumper and having a forwardedge and a back edge wherein the forward edge is substantially verticaland the back edge is oriented 0 to 25 degrees from the forward edge, thesecond slot being located above the first slot and nearer to the bottomend than to the top end and having an upper edge and a lower edge, thelower edge and upper edge being substantially parallel to each other andbeing oriented 125 to 150 degrees from the inner edge, and the thirdslot being located above the second slot and nearer to the top end thanto the bottom end and having an upper edge and a lower edge, the upperedge being substantially horizontal and the lower edge being oriented 0to 30 degrees from the upper edge, the method further comprising:engaging the first slot with a horizontal wire of the shopping cart; androtating the bumper in an upward direction to engage the second slot andthen the third slot with horizontal wires of the shopping cart.
 11. Amethod for manufacturing a shopping cart, the method comprising:receiving a mat having a floor portion and side wall portions, whereinthe floor portion is positioned between the side wall portions;receiving a nose panel, wherein the nose panel is constructed from aplurality of vertical wires and plurality of horizontal wires; receivingtwo bumpers, wherein the bumpers comprise an inner leg, an outer leg,and an elongated center section, the inner leg and outer leg beingconnected at the center section such that the bumper has a generallyu-shaped cross-section, and wherein the inner leg comprises a pluralityof slots for engaging the horizontal wires of the nose panel; foldingthe side wall portions of the mat so that they lay in planes that aregenerally perpendicular to a plane containing the floor portion;attaching the nose panel to the leading edges of the floor portion andthe side wall portions, wherein the attachment of the nose panel to theleading edges of the side wall portions defines front corners of theshopping cart; and engaging the plurality of slots of the bumpers withthe horizontal wires of the nose panel such that the bumpers cover thefront corners of the shopping cart.
 12. The method of claim 11, whereinthe floor portion is formed of a plurality of transverse wires joined toa plurality of longitudinal wires and the side wall portions are formedfrom the plurality of transverse wires joined to a plurality of sidewall structural wires.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the bumpersfurther comprise a top end and a bottom end and the inner leg of thebumpers defines an inner edge, and wherein the plurality of slotscomprises a first slot, a second slot, and a third slot, the first slotbeing located in the bottom end of the bumper and having a forward edgeand a back edge wherein the forward edge is substantially vertical andthe back edge is oriented 0 to 25 degrees from the forward edge, thesecond slot being located above the first slot and nearer to the bottomend than to the top end and having an upper edge and a lower edge, thelower edge and upper edge being substantially parallel to each other andbeing oriented 125 to 150 degrees from the inner edge, and the thirdslot being located above the second slot and nearer to the top end thanto the bottom end and having an upper edge and a lower edge, the upperedge being substantially horizontal and the lower edge being oriented 0to 30 degrees from the upper edge, the method further comprising:engaging the first slot of each bumper with a horizontal wire of thenose panel; and rotating each bumper in an upward direction to engagethe second slot and the third slot with horizontal wires of the nosepanel.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the bumpers further comprisean aperture that passes through the inner leg and the outer leg of thebumper nearer to the top end than to the bottom end, the method furthercomprising: passing a mechanical fastener through the aperture to lockthe bumper to the shopping cart.